All victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances have a right to truth.
Truth is a vital response to the crimes:

• For the direct victims to know the whole truth about the crimes they suffered and the reasons behind it, as well as have their suffering publicly acknowledged. Moreover, truth is necessary to correct any false accusations made against them in the course of the crime.
• For family members, particularly of those killed or disappeared, to find out what happened to their loved-one and to establish their whereabouts.
• For the affected society to know the circumstances surrounding and reasons that led to violations being committed to ensure that they will not be committed again, and to have their shared experiences acknowledged and preserved.

In more than 30 countries, truth commissions have been established as official, temporary, non-judicial fact-finding bodies to investigate a pattern of abuses of human rights, including the crimes, and to establish the truth. Most conclude their work with a final report containing findings of fact and recommendations.